Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-02-06 i Cape Argus

AN 18-year-old man appeared in the Vereeniging Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday in connection with the murder of his three-year-old brother. The man from Orange Farm in Johannesburg is accused of allegedly poisoning his little brother. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana said the incident happened last week. “The child’s mother was at home with the accused and her other two sons, aged 16 and 22, when she noticed that her youngest son was missing. Assuming he was playing at a neighbour’s house, she did not raise the immediate alarm. However, by 1pm, when the child had still not returned, she started searching for him,” she said. Mahanjana said that around 4pm, the 16-year-old brother went to a nearby veld near the N1 highway to feed his goats when he…

CRIME activists said the elimination of gang leaders has left a vacuum that has made criminals power hungry. This follows the mass shootings in Delft and Westridge in Cape Town which happened in less than 24 hours. On Tuesday morning at about 7.30am in Gushindoda informal settlement, three people were shot and then set alight. Colonel Andrè Traut said: “Detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes unit are probing the circumstances that led to the death of three people in Delft South. “The victims were shot and set alight in what we believe is an act of vigilantism. The endeavours of SAPS detectives attached to the Serious and Violent Crimes unit to bring to book those responsible for violent crimes in the province resulted in the arrest of…

AS THE power tussle ensues in the coalition-led government at Theewaterskloof Municipality, another attempt to remove DA executive mayor Lincoln de Bruyn was thwarted. This came after the Western Cape High Court dismissed an application for opposition parties to intervene and appeal the court’s judgment to set aside the decision of which reinstated De Bruyn. The ruling also ordered the intervening applicants, all of whom are ANC councillors, to pay the costs of their failed application. ANC leader in the Western Cape Legislature, Khalid Sayed, said they noted the court verdict and their legal team is “studying the judgment in greater detail”. “It must be noted that the case was dismissed not on the merits but on the basis of technicalities, so in that particular context, the ANC in TWK…

THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has confirmed that the 14-year-old boy who was smeared with human faeces was transferred to another school. The Grade 8 learner was bullied by four boys who attacked him inside a toilet cubicle on January 31. After the incident, the boy told his mother he didn’t want to go back to school because he didn’t want to be the laughing stock. Yesterday, the Leiden High School learners protested in support of the victim and refused to go back to class. The WCED said they were there and after speaking to the protesters, classes resumed. Spokesperson Bronagh Hammond also said they have found an alternative school for the victim. “There was a protest outside the school this morning. The WCED sent officials to the school…

THESE regulations exempt the traditional healers in those industries from being registered with the relevant council. No traditional healers are in fact yet registered with the Council as the regulations have not been finalised, so these certificates need not be accepted by employers in all other sectors not mentioned above. Regulations were published for public comment. The final draft of the regulations has not been signed by the Minister of Health and has not been published in the Gazette. Only once these regulations have been polished and signed off will traditional healers be able to register with a Council. I am aware of some businesses who have taken the expedient approach and have approached a respected traditional healer and engaged that healer to ensure that staff who want to go…

THE recent fearsome statement Donald Trump could be seen making after his flight about Ramaphosa’s racist Expropriation without Compensation Bill, should make us all hopeful, not fearful. It’s about time someone teaches this arrogant ANC a lesson, and the world must come to know what a circus this country has become under the Zuma/Ramaphosa government. The Emperor indeed has no clothes! From now on, Ramaphosa better watch his steps and his speech very carefully, before Trump decides to go all guns blazing against the cadres! You never slap away the hand that feeds you, Mr Cyril! And don’t say that Donald Trump ‘must leave SA alone and let us run our country’...when for so many years, you begged the US for funding for HIV/AIDS treatment! Many might argue that Trump’s…

On February 4, a brutal brawl took place at Centenary Secondary Primary in Asherville, Durban leaving three students injured and causing the school to shut their doors. Police and other private security companies attempted to dissolve the brawl but failed to do so. The violent behaviour of these children caused three injured learners to be admitted to hospital. In the Western Cape, on the same day, a grade 8 learner was violently bullied and humiliated. The learner’s head was forced into a toilet bowl of human waste by other teenagers. In January this year, the Gauteng Department of Education identified a total of 245 schools that are at risk of violence. Of these 245 schools, ENCA reported that 75 schools are within the high-risk range. Learners have become so…

THE Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are to disconnect from the Russian power grid on Saturday in a politically-charged move that severs their Soviet-era energy ties with Moscow. A giant digital clock in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, is counting down the hours until the states join the western European power grid. “We are now removing Russia’s ability to use the electricity system as a tool of geopolitical blackmail,” Lithuania’s Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas said. Official celebrations are planned across the Baltics, although some consumers worry about disruptions to supply. Latvia will physically cut a power line to Russia on Saturday and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is expected to attend a ceremony with Baltic leaders in Vilnius on Sunday. “This is the last step in our…

AN accused murderer and his accomplices who allegedly attacked and buried their victim in a shallow grave, will remain behind bars after his bail appeal failed in the Western Cape High Court. The accused had his first bail application denied by the Blue Downs Regional Court and failed to prove, on a balance of probabilities, that exceptional circumstances existed to justify his release. Unhappy with the ruling, the man approached the high court with his appeal. The accused murderer, along with his four co-accused, face charges of assault, kidnapping, and murder – and the State proffered that the murder was premeditated and committed with a common purpose. On June 15, 2023, the man and his co-accused descended on the deceased’s home at Bosasa Temporal Houses in eMfuleni, brandishing an assortment…

THE Constitutional Court has rejected former president Jacob Zuma’s attempt to proceed with his private prosecution against his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa. Zuma, who now leads the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party, launched his private prosecution bid against Ramaphosa in 2022 ahead of the African National Congress (ANC)’s 55th elective conference. The former president has accused Ramaphosa of being implicated in the alleged leak of his confidential medical documents to the media. Ramaphosa rejected this as abuse of legal processes. Since taking over from Zuma in 2017, Ramaphosa has served as the leader of the ANC. The ConCourt ruled that Zuma failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the delay in filing his application. Additionally, the Court determined that there were no reasonable prospects for success in the appeal. The…

THE Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) wants individual members and auditing firms found guilty of committing severe transgression to face fines between R10 million and R25m for each charge. The range of fines meted out to auditing firms will depend on whether the transgression is priority or high priority. For severe transgressions, the fines will be set between R5m and R25m, moderate transgressions between R3m and R15m, and between R1.5m and R7.5m for minor transgressions. Priority matters will attract fines between R300 000 and R12.5m, depending on the severity of the transgression. According to the IRBA, individuals could be fined between R100 000 and R10m, also depending on severity. The board explained that the primary purpose of sanctions is to hold registered auditors and candidate auditors accountable for any…

CAPE Flats crimefighters have raised the alarm over a social media channel aimed at sharing footage of vicious school fights across Cape Town. The shocking channel, which has already gathered over 32 000 followers, shows children involved in violent clashes. The name of the channel, which is known to the Cape Argus sister paper, the Daily Voice, shows teens posting videos of various fights and making commentary on the outcomes. The channel also has a slogan which says: “Peace was never an option”. Strandfontein Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson, Sandy Schuter, said she got a fright when she discovered the channel on WhatsApp this week. “I stumbled upon a disturbing WhatsApp channel which features videos of school fights. I was appalled, heartbroken, and outraged by the content. “The fact that…

IN a series of unprecedented actions, former US President Donald Trump has drawn sharp criticism for violating international laws and norms, further destabilizing global relations. Trump’s recent renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the “Trump Gulf” has been widely condemned as a brazen overreach, with legal experts arguing it violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which prohibits unilateral territorial claims over international waters. Adding to the controversy, Trump has reportedly threatened to seize control of the Panama Canal. Experts warn that this move would breach the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which guarantee Panama’s sovereignty over the canal. Such actions undermine decades of diplomatic agreements and risk escalating regional tensions. Trump’s foreign policy decisions have also drawn ire for their impact on the Palestinian issue. He…

THERE are primordial war cries, slogans, and calls to action that were relevant and famous before our existence, yet still resonate with us today in our quest to make a difference in our entrusted responsibilities. President Cyril Ramaphosa, upon assuming office, rallied us around the famous “Thuma Mina,” which called everyone to rise and be agents of change in society. This literally implies sending me to change the lives of the people and echoes Mahatma Gandhi’s call to “be the change you want to see in the world.” As we enter the eighth month of the 7th administration, we have witnessed the ushering of the Government of National Unity (GNU), and our mandate remains focused on social assistance for the vulnerable and needy in our communities. As the South African…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday that US President Donald Trump’s reimposition of a policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran will end in “failure” as it did during his first term. “I believe that maximum pressure is a failed experiment and trying it again will turn into another failure,” Araghchi said following a cabinet meeting, adding that Tehran was not pursuing nuclear weapons. During his first term that ended in 2021, Trump pursued a policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran, withdrawing the US from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, and reimposing biting sanctions. The deal – known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Tehran adhered to the deal until a year after…

THE 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) will take place at City Hall at 7pm, marking the beginning of the current (seventh) term of Parliament. Parliament has allocated R6 million for this year’s address, which will be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Following the SONA, a two-day debate and reply by Ramaphosa will occur in the dome next week. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said that the SONA will reflect on the nation’s progress and reaffirm the commitment to building the country envisioned at the start of democracy. “In the Address, the president will outline the tasks of the Government of National Unity in implementing three strategic priorities: driving inclusive growth and job creation; reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living; and building a capable, ethical, and developmental…

THE Department of Employment and Labour has announced the new National Minimum Wage (NMW) in South Africa is R28.79 per hour. In a statement yesterday, Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth said the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates for 2025 would rise from R27.58 to R28.79 per hour worked. The NMW was introduced in the country in 2019 and the policy obligates employers to pay workers a minimum amount per hour. The NMW is subject to annual review and increases annually from March 1. According to the Department, the NMW amendment is enforced by law and binding from March 1. Those who violate the Act are subject to fines. Determinations of the NMW includes: vulnerable sectors such as farm workers and domestic workers, whom since 2022, were aligned with the…

A NOW former bank official who was fired after she used her own funds to open 99 “MyMo” accounts – designed for low-income customers – to meet her targets, turned to the Johannesburg Labour Court to get her job back. The woman was represented by her union – South African Society of Banking Officials (Sasbo), which asked the court to overturn the decision of a commissioner at the CCMA, which found her dismissal to be substantively fair. She was employed as a universal banker (UB) at Standard Bank, which amalgamated several roles into one, including that of clerk, sales consultant, and service consultant, but she was subsequently promoted to a team leader. Every UB was required to meet a sales target. In particular, they were required to solicit customers and…

South African Student Congress (SASCO) Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) student movement representative, Siyavuya Mteli, says they are trying to assist students amid reports of accommodation issues at the institution. SASCO claims that 131 students slept outside. This is after videos emerged on social media showing students singing struggle songs, camping and sleeping outside. In the videos, students are seen huddled on the ground at night with their luggage bags at the entrance of CPUT Bellville. Mteli said students are being assisted by the student movement and the Student Representative Council. “They are organising a place for those here to sleep and to be placed into residency,” he said. However, CPUT spokesperson, Lauren Kansley said the videos were not a true reflection of the reality of the campus’ residency…

THE fact that Trump has jumped the gun on where the Expropriation of Property Act is headed does not diminish the negative attention this Act warrants. In terms of section 104 of the Agoa agreement, the property rights of a country participating in the agreement must be ring-fenced. In terms of the EWC Act that is not the case because it violates section 25 of the constitution. Given the strenuous opposition to the Act which the DA and others have been presenting, it is disturbing to note that suddenly John Steenhuizen seems to be trying to walk back his stance just because what Trump criticised is not actually occurring – just yet. Yet in a press conference last month, DA minister of Public Works, Dean MacPherson was emphatic that…

Well I never... the Headmaster has taken our Chief Prefect to task... for attempting to grab land from the previously advantaged white children. It’s scandalous really... but this Headmaster is not tolerating any nonsense... from anyone! It has now come to pass that President Ramaphosa is seeking an audience with President Trump... to explain the unexplainable. How will he spin this yarn... in order to be convincing? It’s a tricky situation... which could cost SA big bucks. Instead of playing house with the most powerful economy on earth for the economic benefit of this country... he and his insipid party, have chosen to align themselves with Russia etc... Go figure the logic...…

This week, the South African government initiated a robust diplomatic offensive in the wake of incendiary remarks made by US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk regarding the country’s land reform policies. The two faced backlash for their misleading tweets, which accuse South Africa of engaging in land confiscation and perpetuating systemic racism in ownership laws. Trump, taking to social media platform X, stated: “SA is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY. It is a bad situation that the Radical Left Media doesn’t want to so much as mention. The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. I will be cutting off all future funding to SA until a full investigation of this situation has been completed.” Musk echoed sentiments, claiming that South…

The Stormers find themselves on high alert regarding the potential impact of veteran flyhalf Willie le Roux in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship North-South Derby against the Bulls in Cape Town. With Director of Rugby Jake White preparing to roll the dice with his selection, there is a cloud of uncertainty surrounding where Le Roux, a 98-cap Springbok, will line up at the Cape Town Stadium (2pm start). Le Roux’s prowess as a playmaker has proven to be a game-changer, particularly following his recent appearance off the bench against the Lions, where he spearheaded a remarkable turnaround for the Bulls. Whether he dons the No 10 jersey or plays in his more familiar fullback position, the Stormers know they must devise strategies to neutralise a player whose talent has garnered him…